Dane sentenced to prison for ... going to prison

COPENHAGEN (AFP) - A 49-year-old Dane was sentenced to two months' behind bars for taking a friend's place in prison for a day, judicial sources said.

Per Thorbjoern Lonka appeared at a Copenhagen prison on August 28 and falsely presented himself as his friend who was supposed to be jailed. Guards never asked Lonka to show his identity papers, and he was imprisoned.

But on the second day of his detention, he told guards that he was not the "real" prisoner.

"I wanted to stage a gimmick to prove that you can with impunity stay out of prison as long as you're rich and can pay someone else to serve your sentence for you," he told the court in Gentofte, near the Danish capital.

Lonka was not paid by his friend, his lawyer Merete Stagetorn stressed, adding that she had appealed the conviction.

The practice of convicts paying others to serve their sentences for them is surprisingly widespread in Denmark. Last year, Justice Minister Lene Espersen took measures to prevent the practice.

In January 2004, Danish tabloid Ekstra Bladet revealed that around 100 convicts every year pay other people up to 1,000 kroner (135 euros) a day to serve their time.

The practice is common for sentences of up to several months for crimes such as drunk driving, theft, assault and robbery, when those convicted remain free until they are summoned to appear at a detention centre.

Col Man

#2

Dane sentenced to prison for ... going to prison

Jan 10th, 2005

COPENHAGEN (AFP) - A 49-year-old Dane was sentenced to two months' behind bars for taking a friend's place in prison for a day, judicial sources said.

Per Thorbjoern Lonka appeared at a Copenhagen prison on August 28 and falsely presented himself as his friend who was supposed to be jailed. Guards never asked Lonka to show his identity papers, and he was imprisoned.

But on the second day of his detention, he told guards that he was not the "real" prisoner.

"I wanted to stage a gimmick to prove that you can with impunity stay out of prison as long as you're rich and can pay someone else to serve your sentence for you," he told the court in Gentofte, near the Danish capital.

Lonka was not paid by his friend, his lawyer Merete Stagetorn stressed, adding that she had appealed the conviction.

The practice of convicts paying others to serve their sentences for them is surprisingly widespread in Denmark. Last year, Justice Minister Lene Espersen took measures to prevent the practice.

In January 2004, Danish tabloid Ekstra Bladet revealed that around 100 convicts every year pay other people up to 1,000 kroner (135 euros) a day to serve their time.

The practice is common for sentences of up to several months for crimes such as drunk driving, theft, assault and robbery, when those convicted remain free until they are summoned to appear at a detention centre.

Col Man

#3

Dane sentenced to prison for ... going to prison

Jan 10th, 2005

COPENHAGEN (AFP) - A 49-year-old Dane was sentenced to two months' behind bars for taking a friend's place in prison for a day, judicial sources said.

Per Thorbjoern Lonka appeared at a Copenhagen prison on August 28 and falsely presented himself as his friend who was supposed to be jailed. Guards never asked Lonka to show his identity papers, and he was imprisoned.

But on the second day of his detention, he told guards that he was not the "real" prisoner.

"I wanted to stage a gimmick to prove that you can with impunity stay out of prison as long as you're rich and can pay someone else to serve your sentence for you," he told the court in Gentofte, near the Danish capital.

Lonka was not paid by his friend, his lawyer Merete Stagetorn stressed, adding that she had appealed the conviction.

The practice of convicts paying others to serve their sentences for them is surprisingly widespread in Denmark. Last year, Justice Minister Lene Espersen took measures to prevent the practice.

In January 2004, Danish tabloid Ekstra Bladet revealed that around 100 convicts every year pay other people up to 1,000 kroner (135 euros) a day to serve their time.

The practice is common for sentences of up to several months for crimes such as drunk driving, theft, assault and robbery, when those convicted remain free until they are summoned to appear at a detention centre.